Learning Disabilities
People with specific learning disabilities have average to above average intelligence but may have difficulties acquiring and demonstrating knowledge and understanding. This results in a lack of achievement for age and ability level, and a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual abilities.
In Ireland in recent years there has been more recognition of specific learning disabilities and Education Psychologists have increased in number. More and more children are been diagnosed at school and availing of better support than ten or fifteen years ago. We should always be aware that there are many adults in Ireland accessing work who never had a diagnosis and/or appropriate support at the crucial early stages of education.
Learning disabilities are a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. The specific causes of learning disabilities are not clearly understood, however, these disorders are presumably related to central nervous system dysfunction.
The effects of a learning disability are manifested differently for each individual and can range from mild to severe. Learning disabilities may also be present with other disabilities such as mobility or sensory impairments. Often people with Attention Deficit Disorder also have learning disabilities.
Specific types of learning disabilities include:
Dysgraphia
An individual with dysgraphia has a difficult time with the physical task of forming letters and words using a pen and paper and has difficulty producing legible handwriting.
Dyscalculia
A person with Dyscalculia has difficulty understanding and using math concepts and symbols.
Dyslexia
An individual with dyslexia may mix up letters within words and sentences while reading. He may have difficulty spelling words correctly while writing. Letter reversals are common. Some individuals with dyslexia have a difficult time with navigating and routefinding tasks as they are easily confused by directions and spatial information such as left and right.
Dyspraxia
A person with dyspraxia may mix up words and sentences while talking. There is often a discrepancy between language comprehension and language production.
Non-verbal Learning Disorder
Poor motor coordination, visual-spatial organization and/or a lack of social skills may characterize non-verbal learning disorders.
For adult with a learning disability, auditory, visual, or tactile information can become jumbled at any point during transmission, receipt, processing, and/or re-transmission. For example, it may take longer for some people who have learning disabilities to process written information. Lengthy reading or writing tasks may therefore, be difficult to complete in a standard amount of time. This may be due to difficulty discriminating numerals or letters because they appear jumbled or reversed.
Some people who have learning disabilities may be able to organise and communicate their thoughts in a one-to-one conversation but find it difficult to articulate the same ideas in a noisy environment. Other people may experience difficulties with specific processes or specific areas such as calculating mathematics problems, reading, or understanding language. People with learning disabilities may have difficulty spelling and subsequently have difficulty creating or editing text or otherwise communicating in writing. Difficulties with attention, organisation, time management, and prioritising tasks are also common.
